The annual Lake Moodemere rowing regatta is the oldest of its kind in Australia, dating back to the 1860s when paddlesteamer crews would race each other at the Port of Wahgunyah.

Since then, the north-east Victorian regatta has grown to have a cherished place on the rowing calendar, with athletes heading into the bush to blow out the Christmas cobwebs and check their early-season form.

On the afternoon of Friday 10th January 2014, the first of around 550 rowers began to turn up, to grab prime lakeside position and a last-minute training session.

Among the earlybirds were local rower, Scott Walsh, 1988 Olympian and present-day coach, Brenton Terrell, and a team of La Trobe University Masters, who last year competed in a marathon 200km row in France.